Kedah Menteri Besar Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah has been asked to reveal what happened to the RM23.73 million federal allocation for Alor Setar.

PKR's Alor Setar MP Gooi Hsiao Leung claimed that the RM23.73 million had been distributed to the constituency from May 2013 to September 2016.

The amount was the Prime Minister’s special constituency allocation which was distributed to Alor Setar, through the federal development office in Kedah, he added.

“I challenge Bashah to publicly deny that he has no knowledge whatsoever of the allocation above or that any of the RM23.73 million had been distributed to Alor Setar,” Gooi told Malaysiakini.

He expressed regret if funds for the community, regardless of status or race in Alor Setar, were used to benefit Umno supporters and cronies.

“Instead of playing cheap politics, Bashah should come clean and provide a full disclosure of the RM23.73 million special allocation which should have been provided to Alor Setar,” Gooi (photo) said.

“Kedahans have a right to know how their money was spent."

'Opposition should find own funds'

Gooi was responding to Bashah who was quoted in the media saying it is not BN’s responsibility to provide aid to constituencies held by the opposition.

Bashah said opposition MPs need to have the initiative to find their own funds to develop their areas.

He found his own funds for his Bakar Bata constituency when the state was under PAS, from 2008 to 2013, Bashah claimed.

“The MP should find the funds, or else it is a loss for the voters, as there will be no development for the area,” Bashah reported as saying in Berita Harian on Monday.

He was then responding to Gooi who earlier described Bashah’s remark about state allocations as “utterly disgusting”.

Gooi had insisted that it was the state government’s responsibility to channel annual federal allocations to all constituencies, including those held by opposition.

In responding to Bashah’s latest comment, Gooi warned the MB not to use “falsehood” to threaten Kedah voters.

“Bashah’s absurd proposition that MPs should look for their own funds would be as ludicrous as asking voters in opposition won seats not to pay taxes since they are not receiving federal funds.

“As a policy, disbursement of allocations only to BN MPs is wrong, all MPs including the opposition should have a say on how federal allocations are used. It is tax payers' money and there should not be any discrimination,” he stressed.